Rice industry hears what's new at Rice Field Day in Biggs

BIGGS &GT;&GT;With small plots of rice standing up straight, as if to be noticed, hundreds of rice farmers learned the latest on rice research Wednesday during Rice Field Day at the Rice Experiment Station in Biggs.

At the station, which is supported through an assessment on the rice harvest, researchers take years to breed new rice varieties, carefully studying the progress before introducing new rice seed to growers. The goals are to grow rice that produces a higher yield, is resistant to disease, tolerant to cold, has good milling and cooking qualities and meets changes in the world market.

Calrose is a medium grain, and is grown by about 90 percent of the growers in the state.

In 2011 a new Calrose was released, known as M-105. This rice matures very early, is semi-dwarf, with high yield.

Growers who grew the rice in 2013 said M-105 had better yield than a similar Calrose varieties.

The latest research is leading up to another varieity, M-205, which may be released next year. The seed would be promising, except for in cooler rice-growing areas. Trials were done in Butte, Glenn and Colusa counties last year.

Yet another project, which began in 2005, focuses on breeding plants that are resistant to a disease known as "blast."

If all of that sounds like it moves slowly, that's because it does. Researchers carefully cross plants with attractive qualities with other plants with desired qualities, analyzing them each step of the way.

The Research Center also grows seed for growers throughout the state.

Research is also done on the effectiveness of herbicides and pesticides use by growers.

As regulations and pests change, the industry is constantly fine-tuning its growing practices, in part with the help of research done in Biggs.

Although speciality rice is not the mainstay of Sacramento Rice growers, varieties including Basmati, Calmati and jasmine rice have been added to the mix as customers reach for something new on the supermarket shelves.

The event is a way for growers to learn more about where their rice assessments are used, and to consider whether they want to try something new in some or all of their fields.

The day is also a focal point for the industry, including the award of scholarships and honoring long-time rice industry leaders.